Hello out there. I wanted to start this blog to let people have a place to view pictures, links, etc., from other football fans. I will try and keep all information updated daily. Cool links: http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ http://www.hangonsloopy.com/ 1916 "The Perfect Play" The 1916 win over Northwestern was the biggest win the Buckeyes have ever had over the Wildcats. The 23-3 victory allowed the Buckeyes to win their first ever conference championship as well as go undefeated. Northwestern gave the Bucks a struggle at first, but OSU started to break the game open with the help of Chic Harley's 63-yard TD run around right end. Head Coach John Wilce went on to dub this famous play "The Perfect Play." The Buckeyes would score two more times after that play to take home the championship. 1935 The Greatest Game Ever...? 1935's classic battle between Ohio State and Notre Dame is one that longtime Buckeye fans and enthusiasts will never forget. It was a clash of two unbeaten powers meeting for the first time ever in front of over 81,000 at Ohio Stadium. Things started out great for the Buckeyes as they took an early 13-0 lead, but the Fighting Irish would come back (aided by Coach Francis Schmidt's decision to take out his starting backfield) to cut the lead to 13-12. Late in the game, OSU was attempting to run out the clock, but they fumbled the ball to Notre Dame. Then on offense, ND QB Andy Tilney took the ball and ran 32 yards downfield. But Tilney injured his leg on the run and had to be removed for back-up QB Bill Shakespeare. The real Shakespeare couldn't have written a better ending for ND however as this Bill Shakespeare threw a TD pass with 32 seconds left to give ND a 18-13 win. The Buckeyes suffered a heartbreaking loss here, but at the time, many fans dubbed this game the greatest game ever played. 1939 The start of something grand The Buckeyes won their first Big Ten title in 19 years, but it didn't come easy. The key game was at Minnesota, who had been back-to-back Big Ten champions and had not lost a game at home in seven seasons. But that would soon change. Led by QB Don Scott's three TD passes to Esco Sarkkinen, Jim Langhurst, and Frank Clair, the Buckeyes were able to knock off the defending champs 23-20 and claim the title. 1942 (OSU Archives)The Indiana Hoosiers came to the stadium with one of their greatest teams of all time, but Paul Brown and his Buckeyes were ready for them. The Bucks, led by three TDs by FB Gene Fekete, downed the Hoosiers 32-21. The game, which Coach Brown called "The greatest game I ever saw," set them on course to win their first ever national title. Fekete would go on to become the first Buckeye player to finish in the top ten for the Heisman voting. January 2, 1950 Good Year for the Roses By 1950, Ohio State football had achieved many great milestones. They had conference championships, a national championship, and a Heisman Trophy winner. But they had not yet achieved a Rose Bowl win. Fate was on the Buckeyes' side this time though. The Bucks were tied 14-14 with Cal late in the game, and Cal had to punt from their own 16-yard line. The snap was poor, causing the Cal punter to kick the ball off the wrong foot and shank the ball out of bounds at the 13-yard line. OSU took over, ran three plays and wound up kicking a field goal with 1:55 on the clock. Cal was not finished though. They took the ball and quickly drove down the field, but Dick Widdoes intercepted a pass on the OSU 11-yard line to cement the 17-14 victory. November 25, 1950 The Snow Bowl (OSU Archives) Normally, no Buckeye fan would glorify a loss to the Michigan Wolverines. But the 1950 game, despite an OSU loss, is one that is forever etched in football lore. It was a day that no human being should have even been outdoors, but that didn't stop the Buckeyes and Wolverines from getting it on. The temperature was in the teens, and there was a driving snowstorm. The yard lines could not be seen. It was arguably some of the worst conditions for any football game ever. There was no offense from either team; OSU's Vic Janowicz set a whopping OSU punting record as he kicked 21 times for 685 yards. But it was the Michigan punter, Charles Ortmann, who won the game with his outstanding punting that pinned OSU deep in their own territory. As a result of OSU's poor field position, Michigan was able to block one OSU punt for a safety and one for a touchdown. Vic Janowicz was able to muster a field goal in the first quarter, but the only offense all day would not be enough as the blocked punts gave UM the 9-3 win. Yes, the Buckeyes lost, but the game has gone down in history as one of the more famous college football games ever. January 1, 1955OSU defeats USC for the national titleIn some of the worst conditions ever for a Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes drove through rain, mud and fog to take out the USC Trojans 20-7 and gain the school's second national title and the first under Coach Woody Hayes. The Buckeye offense was three yards and a pile of mud on this day as despite the bad conditions, OSU rushed for 295 yards, including 95 from Hopalong Cassady, who was playing with a cracked rib. November 16, 1957 The Bob White Drive Have you ever said about a team that they wouldn't be able to stop anything even if they knew what was coming? That was the case for the Iowa Hawkeyes on this day. The Buckeyes were locked in a close 13-10 struggle with Iowa late in the game when Woody ball took over. But the Buckeyes would embark on an eight play, 66-yard drive for the game-winning TD that was led by fullback Bob White. White was given the ball seven out of eight times on the drive, but remarkably, Iowa just could not stop him. "We knew what was happening," said Iowa coach Forest Evashevski after the game, "But we were just powerless to stop it." This tremendous drive was the clincher in the 17-13 victory that gave OSU the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth. January 1, 1958 Narrow Rose Bowl Victory The Buckeyes had gotten into the Rose Bowl with the help of Bob White vs. Iowa. They were going up against the Oregon Ducks in a game where OSU was a solid favorite. But the Ducks very nearly shocked the Buckeyes as they gave a tremendous effort but lost 10-7. Oregon really played up to the level of OSU and very well could have won the game, but the Buckeyes got the breaks as they caused four Oregon turnovers. "The field goal and the four breaks -- two interceptions and two recovered Oregon fumbles -- were the only real edge in the game, and we got 'em all," said Woody Hayes. It was a moral victory for the Ducks, but on the scoreboard, it was a victory, a second Rose Bowl title, and a national championship for Ohio State. November 15, 1958 Bob White and the Buckeyes stick it to Iowa once again. The Buckeyes were not having a great season as they were 3-2-1 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes were 5-1 in the Big Ten and had clinced a Rose Bowl berth. Needless to say, the Buckeyes were not expected to walk into Iowa City and come out with a win. But that's exactly what they did. Led by Bob White's three TDs and Don Clark's two TDs, the Buckeyes shocked the Hawkeyes and their fans as they went on to win 38-28. Ironically, it was a White-led drive that did the trick. Tied 28-28, the Buckeyes took over the ball on their own 20 and drove the ball 80 yards on a 14-play drive, 11 of which were carries by White. After that, the Buckeyes didn't trail again, and the upset was complete. After the game, Woody Hayes told the team, "You were the greatest football team I ever saw out there today." November 23, 1968 National Title-bound Buckeyes destroy Michigan It's always wonderful to beat Michigan. But it must have been extra sweet in 1968 as the Buckeyes gave the Wolverines their worst loss in the history of the rivalry, 50-14. The Buckeyes completely dominated, much to the delight of the then-record Ohio Stadium crowd of 85,370. The win sent the unbeaten and #2 OSU Buckeyes off to Pasadena for a showdown with #1 USC in the Rose Bowl. January 1, 1969 Buckeyes squeeze the Juice for the National Championship (OSU Archives)The great 1968 Buckeyes had their work cut out for them if they wanted to win the national championship. They had to beat #1 USC and their Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson to do it. But that's exactly what OSU did, and they left no doubt as to who was tops in the nation. Simpson got off to a good start, running for 137 yards and helping USC jump out to a 10-0 lead in the first half. But the Buckeye defense turned in a tremendous performance in the second half as they limited the Juice to just 34 yards and moved on to a 27-16 win. It would be OSU's fourth national championship. November 21, 1970Buckeyes bulldoze WolverinesThe Buckeyes were upset the year before by Michigan, and ever since then, they had been itching for payback. The Wolverines came in with a high-powered offense that had been averaging 31 points a game, but the Buckeyes defense, led by legendary LB Jim Stillwagon, held UM to a single touchdown and field goal as they would grind out a 20-9 victory to finish the regular season 9-0 and win the Big Ten title. "I've been waiting for this moment a whole year," said defensive coordinator Lou McCullough. "They only get one touchdown, only one touchdown. What a job." September 30, 1972 The arrival of a legend (OSU Archives)He was an undersized and unheralded freshman from Columbus Eastmoor High School. But on this day, he would arrive in a big way and begin his legend as a Buckeye. On this day, in his second game as a freshman, Archie Griffin came off the bench and rushed for an OSU-record 239 yards as the Buckeyes toppled North Carolina, 29-14. Archie, never one to boast, credited his offensive line for the performance. "They did a hell of a job blocking for me," he said. It was indeed a sign of things to come for Archie Griffin. January 1, 1974 Griffin, Greene lead Bucks to Rose Bowl win just a year ago, OSU had been drilled 42-17 by USC in the Rose Bowl. The two teams would meet again, and this time, the result was exactly the opposite as OSU was a 42-21 victor. QB Cornelius Green went 6 of 8 passing for 129 yards and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Archie Griffin ran for 149 yards on 22 carries. Coach Hayes said of the performance, "We've never been this good in a Rose Bowl game." Nov. 22, 1975 Buckeyes come back on Michigan The Buckeyes trailed in every statistical category except punting. They were outplayed for much of the game. Yet, on this day, OSU managed to beat UM on the road for the first time in seven years, 21-14, and seal a trip to their fourth Rose Bowl in a row. UM was actually the underdog in the game, but they looked like they were about to put the Buckeyes away when OSU scored two TDs in a one-minute span in the fourth quarter to take the victory. Woody called it "The greatest comeback I've ever had as a coach." November 17, 1979 Schlichter leads Bucks to victory (OSU Archives)The Buckeyes had not had much success against Michigan over the previous few seasons. They had dropped the last four contests to the Wolverines, and they had not even scored a touchdown in the past 15 quarters played against the Wolverines. But on this day, in front of what was then an NCAA-record crowd of 106,255, the Buckeyes would end those streaks. Behind the arm of QB Art Schlichter and the leg of K Vlade Janakievski, the Buckeyes controlled the second half to win 18-15 and clinch an unbeaten regular season and a Rose Bowl berth. October 13, 1984 Buckeyes rally to top the Illini (OSU Archives)In one of the more memorable games in OSU history, the Buckeyes, behind Keith Byars' 274 yards rushing, came back from a 24-point deficit to beat Illinois, 45-38. The Illini raced out to a 24-0 lead, but Byars, QB Mike Tomczak and WR Cris Carter helped lead Ohio State back to take a 27-24 lead in the third quarter. The Illini didn't quit though as they would come back to tie the game 35-35, but Keith Byars led the final 80-yard scoring drive to seal the 45-38 win. Byars' effort was a school record at the time, and the win sent OSU into first place in the Big Ten. November 2, 1985 Buckeyes shock Hawkeyes(OSU Archives) It was Iowa's year. They were unbeaten, they had a Heisman Trophy contender in QB Chuck Long, and they were supposed to go on to the Rose Bowl. But all that would vanish with one single trip to Columbus. On a rainy, sloppy November day, the Buckeyes, without star RB Keith Byars, knocked off the #1 team in the nation, 22-13. The key to the game was how the Buckeye defensive backs put the clamps on Chuck Long's passing attack as they limited him to a 169-yard day on 17 of 34 passing. They also picked him off four times. Long and Auburn RB Bo Jackson were neck and neck in the Heisman race, and this game may have done a lot to help Jackson overtake Long. LB Chris Spielman had a tremendous game as he intercepted two of those Long INTs along with 19 tackles. (OSU Archives) "Everyone told us that Iowa was going to pass for 1,000 yards," said OSU coach Earle Bruce, "But they didn't... It's one of the finest victories I've been associated with." October 28, 1989 The great comebackThe Buckeyes came out horrible. "That was probably the worst half I've ever been associated with," Coach John Cooper said. The Buckeyes fell into a 31-0 hole against Minnesota on the road in the second quarter, and they were behind 31-8 at halftime. But the Buckeyes didn't quit. They came out with guns blazing in the second half and behind Greg Frey's 327 second-half passing yards, the Buckeyes outscored Minnesota 33-6 to take an amazing 41-37 victory. The comeback tied the then-current record for biggest college comeback. "I didn't think there was any way possible they could come back," Gopher DE Eddie Miles said. But Greg Frey said, "We've got a lot of guys who don't want to quit. We proved that today." September 30, 1995 Buckeyes romp on the IrishThere was as much excitement for this game as any regular non-conference game the Buckeyes had played in years. It was the first time Notre Dame and Ohio State faced off since that legendary 1935 game. And for the Buckeyes, it was a glorious day indeed. The Irish looked good in the first half as they led 17-14 at halftime, but they fell apart in the second half, and the Buckeyes and Eddie George, Bobby Hoying and Terry Glenn took over to make it a 45-26 blowout. George had 35 carries for 207 yards and officially made himself a serious Heisman contender. "I don't know how much anybody paid for tickets," said Coach Cooper, "But I guarantee you they got their money's worth." January 1, 1997 One for the ages (OSU Archives) The Buckeyes were rolling through the regular season, and a shot at the national title was in their sights. But in the final game, OSU lost to UM again. The players were down and weren't as excited about playing in the Rose Bowl as they might have been -- until an upstart 11-0 Arizona State team started opening their mouths. The Sun Devils' pre-game trash talking fired up OSU, and we would have a clash on our hands. It was a classic clash indeed. Momentum swung back and forth the whole game. OSU scored the first TD, then Arizona State tied it at 7 by halftime, then ASU kicked a field goal to make it 10-7 in the third, then OSU scored on an 82-yard TD pass to make it 14-10, then ASU drove 65 yards to pull ahead 17-14 with 1:40 on the clock. It looked like ASU had the game in control and was about to capture a national championship. But on the arm of Joe Germaine and the help of some defensive pass interference penalties, the Buckeyes marched down the field to score the winning TD with just seconds left. ASU didn't have enough time to make a final run, and the Buckeyes won 20-17. John Cooper, who had finally won his first Rose Bowl at OSU, summed it up by saying, "It doesn't get better than this." 2002 The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes sent fans on an incredible ride, posting the first ever 14-0 record in Division I-A and delivering plenty of unprecedented thrills along the way. One could write a book on all the memorable moments during this season, including Ohio State's squeaker over Cincinnati, the defensive masterpiece against Penn State, the "Holy Buckeye" play at Purdue, and the showdown against Michigan that was sealed by a last second interception. In fitting fashion, the season was capped off by possibly the greatest college football game of all time as Ohio State bested Miami 31-24 in two overtimes in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. The Buckeyes came in a heavy underdog to the No. 1 high-powered Hurricanes, but in a game filled with unreal twists and turns, Ohio State did the improbable and won this game for the ages. Many teams won't have as many memorable moments in their entire season as there was in this game alone. Fans who watched the game will never forget the final goal line stand where OSU stopped Miami on four straight plays on the one-yard line, the improbable 4th-and-14 conversion where Craig Krenzel hit Michael Jenkins for a first down, the controversial 4th down interference call in overtime (Miami players and staff stormed the field, thinking victory was theirs, but had to be called back to continue the game), Maurice Clarett's strip of Sean Taylor's interception, and so many more memorable moments. Those who were fortunate enough to be in Sun Devil Stadium that night experienced what will most likely be the greatest sporting event they have ever attended and will ever attend in their lives, and those who followed the 2002 dream season from day one will agree that there will never be another football season quite like it. Fiesta Bowl memories page What will the next great OSU moment be? Stay tuned!